


Your Chrome Heart(s)

by FreckledStarKnight



Series: Say Goodnight to the Sun [2]
Category: MapleStory
Genre: Implied/Referenced Suicide, Minor Character Death, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-05-07 08:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14667402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreckledStarKnight/pseuds/FreckledStarKnight
Summary: Chromile, somehow, is revived. Now his only goal is to find out what happened to his child. Some of his captors don’t seem keen on helping him though. As he travels a practically new world, he runs into his past wrongdoings and regrets. Who decided to let him get a second chance at life? Direct sequel to Drive My Soul(s).





	1. Hard Lessons in Sewing

**Author's Note:**

> I promised myself I wouldn't publish this until I had everything written out, but I thought that was unfair to readers since even I wasn't sure how long this fic would take. So viola! Chapter 1! Chapter 2 and 3 are already written, but need heavy editing. Also please heed the tag warnings, things get even more graphically violent and disturbing than in Drive My Soul(s).

There was a long silence that settled into the atmosphere like smog. The Chief Knights all gathered around the red table with the Empress. Neinheart stood by her side, his renowned scowl in place. He scowled only because he didn’t know what else to settle on. Like a defense mechanism. It was their daily afternoon meetings before the evening classes started. And for once, no one was late. Not even Hawkeye. However, no one looked like they wanted to be here either. Neinheart looked at the clock on the right. It was about two minutes before it started. They can wait. He needed to gather up bravado anyways. Talking about dead soldiers was never a good topic when the Chief Knights cared too much.

The Empress fidgeted in her seat despite her perfect posture. Oz peered toward the glass panes, expecting someone to come in. Irena flexed the papers in her hands, twitching. Hawkeye had his feet up on the table. Again. At least that meant his leg was healed enough for it to be moving. Neinheart clicked his tongue. Hawkeye placed them back on the ground. And Eckhart? He was at the backwall, isolated from the rest of them. His mask and crossed arms gave nothing away. Good enough, Neinheart thought.

The tactician internally sighed. The table was missing something glaringly obvious, but he chose to ignore it. The clock struck 13:00, indicated by its soft bell chime. The silence dragged on long after the echoes faded into the sunlight. Everyone looked at him expectantly.

Neinheart opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The speech that he ad-libbed in his mind scattered into the wind. For once, he was speechless. He always had something to say. With each second, he felt the energy drain from him. He was tired. Tired of going over dog tags with a dead owner. Tired of counting coffins. Tired of seeing his most loyal knights spiral into a dark abyss that he couldn’t snap them out of. He felt the same dark claws rip into his skin every night. But he couldn’t afford to fall like them. The Chief Knights needed at least one person to have their act together. Because the one person that could is gone.

“Fuck,” Hawkeye exclaimed, shattering the silence and Neinheart’s expectations. As usual. All the Chief Knights turned to him. For Rhinne’s sake. At least Neinheart could rely on the man to break the ice.

“Language,” Neinheart chided, but it was half-hearted at best. The Chief Knight of Thunder had the decency to look embarrassed for the outburst. Neinheart should have canceled the meeting. After Black Heaven, they’ve all been…distracted. It was hard to focus on teaching when classes were nearly empty. Everyone settled back into their spots. He pressed his temples together.

“As you may know,” he started, “we are missing one Chief Knight.”

 It took everyone a great amount of effort not to look at the empty seat besides the Empress and Oz. Nice opening Neinheart.

Neinheart pushed on despite his stumble, “This does not stop us from continuing the Erevian Star ritual. Captain Knight Dianne will be the Light Pillar. We will execute this with precise accuracy. I will not hesitate to fire you if you mess this up.”

It was an empty threat. Neinheart knew they would do everything right. For those that they have lost. He caved in and glanced at the spot where Mihile sat at. He would talk about his condition. But they needed to get through this first. Leave the worst news for last.

“Chief Knight Irena, if you may.”

Irena snapped out of her thoughts and passed down the papers to the group. Eckhart already had one magically in his hands. They ignored the rumples in it and skimmed through the schedule.

“We haven’t done this ritual in a while, so I thought we could go over the procedures together,” Irena said. She paused, as if keeping silent would make everything that happened on the Lumiere not real. She opened her mouth when Eckhart interrupted.

“Coffins placed in a pile, people called Pillars walk in a line, make a star around the circle with flammable string, Empress makes an eulogy, burn it all,” Eckhart spoke out. He slammed the paper on a countertop and walked out. No one stopped him.

“Can you pretend you don’t know?” Hawkeye called out too late.

Oz commented quietly, “At least he stayed for five minutes.”

Neinheart felt his mouth twitch. This was a great start. He felt whatever control he had over the room dissipate. No one was paying attention, too focused on Eckhart’s abrupt exit. Even the Empress stared at the door in bewilderment.

After Black Heaven, trying to talk to Eckhart outside of missions was impossible. He replied curtly and didn’t say any more than what was necessary. He distanced himself, like how he did back when the Cygnus Knights first formed. The other Chief Knights took notice, but nobody addressed it. The Chief Knights were too close for Neinheart’s liking, but not even they could console Eckhart.

‘ _He’s built his walls up again,’_ a voice nagged in Neinheart’s head. He knew the exact reason that Eckhart receded to his old self. It wasn’t due to the death of his students. Not that Eckhart wasn’t affected by their deaths. He just kept them at a distance, after what happened to his first Captain Knight. It was something deeper than a teacher-student relationship. Neinheart knew Eckhart and Mihile had something far too intimate to be called a close friendship. The long stares Eckhart gave Mihile’s prone body in Orbis confirmed his suspicions. Eckhart couldn’t hide things from the tactician that suspected everything. It didn’t matter how long their closet relationship was going on. It has its heart broken vines imbedded in their inner circle. And he will end it before it affected the entire team dynamic. Not now though. One problem at a time.

Neinheart stared at the empty chair again. Did he want to address the biggest elephant in the room then? Oz might cry. Again. But he needed to control the situation before someone actually cried. Before he let the pressure swallow him whole as well. He clenched his teeth, trying to think back to the last few nights. Neinheart and Grendel the Old made a grim revelation in Orbis’s hospital.

-

_Grendel’s student and several other qualified mages examined Mihile’s body under close supervision. Neinheart didn’t trust Grendel’s group not to snoop around. They were sworn under secrecy, but he needed to take cautious measures.  The rumor that they lost a Chief Knight during Black Heaven would destroy morale. How could civilians trust the Alliance when their most powerful Cygnus Knight fell to a small fraction of the Black Mage’s forces? For many nights, he watched as Bishops casted multiple spells on Mihile. Their sessions always ended with a solemn shake of their heads and an apology. Finally, the last Bishop gave Neinheart a conclusion._

_“I’m sorry Mr. Neinheart, but our colleagues have done everything they could,” the Bishop said, “Chief Mihile’s brain waves have been overwritten. We scanned for a soul and if it may have lingered on the Lumiere. We even tried to summon it. There is nothing except for the one in Chief Mihile’s body.”_

_Neinheart bit his lip. That was…understandable. It was a miracle that Mihile didn’t die to physical wounds. It would be too much to ask for another miracle. The soft lights and white walls blurred into a void. He blinked until he could see the room come back. Mourning over. Move on. He squared his shoulders and looked at the Bishop._

_“Thank you for your time. Your compensation will come in the morning,” Neinheart barely managed to say. The Bishop bowed and exited the room, but not without giving him a concerned look. It was pity. He clenched his teeth. He needed a solution, not pity! But there was no solution, only one comatose body and a soul that didn’t belong here._

_He’ll take this failure to the grave._

-

“Irena,” Neinheart said too loudly. He scattered his thoughts. His own voice sounded shaky, but it grounded him. He still has a duty to fulfil. A war to win. Everyone shook out of their own thoughts as well. Irena startled and blinked. She uncrumpled the paper.

“Yes! That’s…the summary of the ritual. Yes,” Irena stuttered, thrown off guard by Eckhart’s departure and Neinhearts voice. “We also need to wear the ceremonial robes that we wore during the Noblesse’s graduations. Symbolism of the beginning – and end.”

The room looked forlorn now. Neinheart turned to the Empress. She remained passive since the meeting started. He knew what she was thinking, but there was nothing that would soothe the decision she made. The Black Mage was officially freed, the last seal stone broken by the Empress to save one life. Would one life be enough? How could she choose one life over the many soldiers that have died for her cause? Neinheart shook his head internally. No, he will respect all decisions the Empress made. She is their one symbol of hope in this war. As long as the Empress still stood, every soldier must be sacrificed for her cause. The thought was a sharp cold rush, but he embraced it. It’s the only thing he had left. He turned the icy feeling into a weapon. He straightened his back.

“The ceremonial robe for Captain Knight Dianne will be adjusted to her proper size,” Neinheart pointedly left out whose robe they took for her, “In the meantime, I need Chief Knight Irena and Chief Knight Hawkeye to gather the coffins together in the pavilion at 16:30 sharp. Get your students to help after class. Chief Knight Oz will assist me in preparing the ritual fire at that time. We let the guests into the pavilion at 17:00. Ritual starts at 18:00 when the Pillars form the star. The Empress’s speech will come right after. The Pillars will be each given a ritual fire to burn the ribbons. Evening classes will be a lesson on the Erevian Star ritual and its importance to the Cygnus Knights. Please review it before you improvise its meaning.”

Neinheart glared at Hawkeye. The man gave a half salute in return. At least he was paying attention.

“What about Eckhart?” Oz asked.

“Chief Eckhart can do whatever he wants, just as long as he follows the ritual,” Neinheart snapped. Oz flinched and Neinheart felt something akin to remorse. He didn’t dwell on it too much. If he paid attention to his knights breaking down, he would maybe sympathize with them. Once the Erevian Star ritual ended he’ll force everyone to move on. They need to move on. Broken soldiers or not, they needed to win a war. No time for attachments. It’s a hindrance. A small voice mocked him.

“The next topic,” Neinheart stated, before everyone else could dwell as well. “is who the next Chief Knight of Light will be.”

There was a pause. Everyone looked lost for a moment before a chorus of voices rang out.

“What?” Hawkeye gawked.

“What do you mean -” Irena frowned.

“- new Chief Knight?” Oz said.

The Empress nodded to everyone. Multiple nights were spent in the hospital with the Empress after the Bishop’s conclusion. They talked. They both agreed that they won’t tell the Chief Knights about Mihile’s true condition. It would give them false hope. Plus, Grendel’s students didn’t have any solid theories on how Chromile came back. The Empress wanted to keep pouring resources into finding a cure. She said Mihile’s soul wasn’t truly gone, but the truth lied in front of them. He knew a lost cause when he saw one. They fixed his body, but not his mind. His soul was gone. And with Grendel’s mirror showing Chromile, they knew who would wake up in Mihile’s body. Neinheart knew the Empress would be against his decision, but he needed to be the objective one. He will force the Chief Knights to move on, no matter how much it hurt. It hurt him too. War doesn’t wait for heroes to come back, something from long ago echoed.

_I know, that’s why we make new ones._

Neinheart raised his hand to silence the group, “I’m not saying we’re abandoning him. However, Chief Mihile is in a condition that cannot be solved by a Bishop’s power or anyone’s. His brain was scrambled in the heat of battle. What he did was beyond repairable. I’m sorry but -”

“- he will no longer work with the Cygnus Knights.”

The Chief Knights at the table remained silent. Neinheart didn’t let them have time to process. The faster they get the news the less it would sting.

“As for our new Chief Knight, I have a few Captain Knights I would recommend. But to make this as fair as possible we will need to vote together-”

Hawkeye slammed the table, jolting everyone out of their chairs. He heaved in and out, arms trembling. His once placid expression twisted into something darker. Neinheart stared at him. Let the anger come. 

“Fair?” Hawkeye asked. Irena tugged on his sleeve.

“Hawkeye -” Oz tried to say, but Hawkeye wasn’t in the mood to listen.  

“You want fair?” Hawkeye nearly shouted, “how about we find another way to save him? There must be something else. He’s not dead yet!”

“Hawkeye -” Oz pulled on Hawkeye’s cape. This time her voice was more urgent. The tension in the room felt like a rubber band stretched too far. It was going to snap at any moment.

“You don’t think I’ve been trying to save him? One month has passed, and there’s been no progress. I’ve scoured every possible archive for a cure. Grendel the Really Old has already confirmed that he will not wake up for a long time. We cannot waste resources waiting on him. We are at war! The faster we can get this through your thick skull, the faster we can prepare for the next fight!”

The Empress flinched. Okay, now Neinheart’s shouting. So much for control. But this half-truth was going to tear them apart anyways. Let them all bleed out first and heal. Before Neinheart could push on, he saw the table shoved aside as Hawkeye stalked on over to him. He heard shouting. Hands grabbed his collar and pulled him up. Hawkeye slammed him against the wall. The Chief Knight’s hair floated as electricity emanated from it. He could feel a prickling sensation run through his veins. It made him shiver under the shocks.

“You’re just giving up then? You said it yourself, we need him! He’s our team mate! Our friend! How could you leave him behind like that? You wouldn’t -”

Suddenly the energy in the air dropped. The tingly sensations stopped as well. Hawkeye looked Neinheart directly in the eye. He could see blue veins swim in the grey. They weren’t stormy. They reflected a too deep ocean. Too bright. Too close. Neinheart preferred the raw rage. Anger was easy to deflect, not open wounds.

“- would you? Would you leave all of us like that? What if that was me Neiny?” Hawkeye asked. His voice shook. The blue tinges in his eyes disappeared. Neinheart could see his dark bags with clarity. He tried not to think about the years he’s spent fighting alongside this mess of knights. The stupid situations they would all get into, the laughter and tears that came after, the fact that he felt like he could have this life forever-

 _‘But you’ll leave it, like you left Lilin,’_ a dark thought flickered in his mind. Neinheart looked at Hawkeye. Right behind him was Oz and Irena. Oz couldn’t stop looking between the two while Irena kept a level eye with him. They expected an answer. He didn’t give them one.

“Everyone, please sit down,” the Empress’s voice rang out in the heat. She saved him. Her voice radiated a calm that Neinheart could never replicate. Everyone grabbed a chair and sat down. They ignored the table that got shoved aside in the scuffle earlier. The place felt emptier than before. If Neinheart felt tired earlier, now he felt drained. He didn’t like fighting with his frien – coworkers. But they think too small. They don’t realize the magnitude of this war. Or maybe they do. Neinheart, once again, blocked out the image of bloody dog tags and Mihile’s scarred body.

The Empress continued, “Neinheart has made a hard choice. But we are not giving up on Mihile. That’s why we must win this war. More than ever. For him and everyone else that’s laid down their lives for us. Not just the Cygnus Knights, but the Resistance and Explorers as well.”

The group remained silent, though Neinheart could see their brains turn in their minds.

Oz asked tentatively, “are we telling Eckhart?”

The question echoed too loud in the room.

“Eckhart already knows,” Neinheart said, “but for now, no one except the Chief Knights and the Empress should know about this. We cannot afford to have morale drop any further than it already has. This is all confidential. If word gets out to the public, the whiplash will devastate the Alliance.”

The Chief Knights hummed in agreement, though their faces didn’t reflect it. The tension eased a bit. Neinheart felt he could breathe easier. They started off on the wrong foot, but they managed to come together. As always. He looked at the clock. In time for evening classes to start.

“Remember Chief Knights,” Neinheart spoke, “Do not discuss about Chief Mihile’s condition to anyone and review the Erevian Star ritual to your students. Dismissed.”

Oz and Hawkeye escorted the Empress outside, leaving Neinheart and Irena in the room. She stood up to move the table back in its place before sitting right next to him.

Neinheart raised his eyebrows. “Yes, Chief Irena?”

“Please, it’s okay to call me Irena when it’s the two of us,” Irena smiled.

“Formalities.”

“I know, but it could help with your uptightness.”

Neinheart huffed, but he let her sit there in comfortable silence. He wondered if that was all Irena wanted to say when she shifted her body towards him. He looked up to her. She cooled her features and crossed her arms. She stared at him contemplatively.

 “You didn’t need to be that harsh. What if that was Hawkeye?” Irena said. Neinheart looked away just as fast. Direct. Just like Mihile. Damn it. He was not to be judged so easily though. He felt his neck stiffen at the implication. He cooled his features. Embellish in the cold. Let nothing touch you. Neinheart turned to her. He looked her straight in the eye.

“It was for the best,” the words felt bitter in Neinheart’s mouth, “I’m not saying I would want anyone in Chief Mihile’s situation. But we’ve lost too much already. You must understand, it’s now festering into a wound that cannot be sewn back together. So instead of letting it barely hold itself together and rotting, I needed to rip it out. We do not have time to mourn for everyone. Especially those that have a slim chance of coming back.”

“But now we have an open bleeding puncture,” Irena replied.

“That’s why I’m replacing it. After the Erevian Star ritual, we’re going to say goodbye to Chief Mihile and live on.”

“Is it that easy though?”

“It has to be. Otherwise we have nothing else,” Neinheart admitted quietly. The two held the other’s stare. Irena was scrutinizing him, trying to pick out a weakness. He can’t let her get to him. He doesn’t want sympathy. Finally, she sighed and looked away. She slumped onto the table, arms crossed out in front of her. She buried her face into her arms. Neinheart has never seen her look so defeated. She always had an easygoing attitude, not letting anything affect her performance. But now there she was, hiding away from him. He felt himself slump as well. When did talking to Irena become this exhausting?  They used to banter easily. Neinheart was too focused on their past conversations when Irena poked her head out. She muttered something indiscreetly.

Neinheart blinked, “Can you repeat that again, Chief Irena?”

Irena looked directly at him. He couldn’t escape her piercing gaze. Her eyes had an eerie shine to them. Neinheart stood his ground, though the instinct to look away was strong. There were too many emotions running behind those watering eyes. Too much that he didn’t want to see right now.

Irena’s voice trembled, “Is Mihile gone? Like, really gone?”

She held her head up higher, hair swept to the side of her face. The dying light shone down on her. Neinheart couldn’t read her expression anymore. He took a deep breath. Irena didn’t deserve this half-truth. No one did. But for the sake of the team, he had to clench his teeth. He squared himself.

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

The words came out colder than Neinheart wanted. He winced. Because he was sorry. He was sorry that he had to lie. Sorry that he led everyone to their deaths. Sorry he caused this rift between them. All because of him. Neinheart looked at Irena. She stayed glued to her spot, unmoving. He waited.

Irena stood up slowly, hair hiding her face. Neinheart tried to get his body to relax as possible. Hawkeye’s previous outburst nearly broke his back. This time he was prepared. He expected Irena to hit him, really. He deserved it. She launched herself at him. He closed his eyes. Instead of a rush of air, he felt arms wrap around him. Irena had buried herself into Neinheart’s neck, holding onto dear life. Liquid seeped through his shirt.

“Irena-” he had to say something, all formalities thrown out the window. His body screamed at him to push her away. Instead, he let her hang on. Irena finally looked up at him, tears flowing down like a river. Her eyes didn’t hold the same storm in them anymore though. They ignited into something fiercer. They had clarity, a thing Neinheart wished to have himself.

“It-” Irena gasped out loud, “it’s not your fault, y-you know?”

“How?” Neinheart choked, “I’ve cost so many lives for this war. I’m the one who decides a soldier’s fate.”

“And I’m the one who trained those soldiers.”

Neinheart pulled away for a second to stare at her. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“We all mess up,” Irena continued, “and sometimes messing up kill…kills people. But our students know what they were signing up for. We did too, when we decided to go against the most powerful Transcendent there ever was. What’s important is that we’re in this, together. So please, let us help. Open up to us.”

Together. Open up. The words were nostalgic, and it left a bitter after taste. A horrible flash of memory appeared of empty eyes and an evil grin. A voice giggled in his ear as screams reverberated the walls. The memory faded away as fast. Together. Something else flashed in his mind. A scrappy kid with no muscle and the grace of a charging bull. That same kid that grew into shoes that were too big for him. And then, outgrew them just as fast. The warrior that wore his heart on his sleeve, even when it was a huge weakness. His friend. Neinheart finally leaned into Irena’s hug. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her, giving a possibly reassuring squeeze. He hadn’t had much practice.

“It’s okay,” Irena murmured, “we’ll power through. We always do.”

Neinheart didn’t believe her. Their entire team dynamic was in shambles. Without a solid figure, the structure collapsed on itself. It hung on by one measly band-aid. One blow from an outside force and the entire thing would rip itself apart. And the worst part? He didn’t know how to fix this. They needed to break completely though. Everyone moping wasn’t getting them anywhere. People needed a steady guiding light. He would not let their students down again. But would the team recover from it? It was a risk Neinheart had to take. It was either break their will to fight or remain stuck in this limbo of mourning. And if that caused everyone to hate him? Let them. He had a war to win. A little voice in his head laughed. He shook his head. For now, Neinheart allowed Irena this false assurance. They stood there until he felt his back start to strain and the exhaustion ebb away. With great effort, he pushed himself off her. Before it evolved into something close to affection. Her eyes were puffy. He sighed and handed over his handkerchief. She took it and dabbed her eyes with no success. It made her face blotchier. Damn it. He’s not heartless enough to make her teach class in this state.

Neinheart pointed at her, “Go wash up. I’ll take over your evening class. But if you mention this to anyone, I will cut your paycheck in half Chief Irena.”

Irena’s eyes widened in surprise before smiling. It looked genuine, at least to Neinheart. Her soft smile made him feel warm. He squashed it down instinctively.

“Yes sir!” Irena even laughed and gave him a hard slap on the back. As if they didn’t spend the past minutes embracing each other like a life-line. She walked toward the glass door. Before she could exit the room, Neinheart heard himself call out to her.

“Neinheart?” Irena asked, door out in front of her.

Something caught in his throat. Why did he say her name? The sunset’s ray shined down, which emitted a strange glow against her. Neinheart could see the dust bunnies float around her. She looked graceful under the light. It hid some of the tear tracks. For the second time in his life, he was caught off guard by her. Even when everything went downhill, she stood right up. Much like how the wind would always be at his back. How long until the winds died, Neinheart thought. Even in this quiet atmosphere, the dog tags loomed over them, waiting. He was almost sorry that Irena had to fight in this war. He could easily imagine a different Irena in a straw hat, tending to a garden and doing yoga. Maybe when the war was over, he could help her invest in a flower shop. He didn’t say that though.

“Remember to prepare at 16:30 sharp,” Neinheart said instead. Cold. Something flashed across her face, but it got replaced with an easy smile. She nodded and left the room. Now Neinheart was all alone with the shadows playing at his feet.


	2. It Takes Two to Say Goodbye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably go to bed, but seeing only chapter 1 up made me sad. Like it's isolated from the rest of its chapter siblings. Don't worry, they'll be uploaded on a.....bimonthly basis. Yea, that'll keep me motivated for sure.

The Erevian Star ritual’s preparations went by without a hitch. Neinheart expected that. It just didn’t make performing the ritual any easier. He had tripled the amount of guards during this time. No one gets to interrupt this. The sun set, which was then replaced with a blue cover. The moon came out along with the stars. He spotted the Cygnus constellation together with Aquila and Lyra. It was fitting. The Cygnus Knights that weren’t on patrol or directly involved in the ceremony attended. They stood in a group together with the families of the dead. They lingered outside the pavilion, waiting. The knights gave them the go to enter. It was a hushed quiet as they all shuffled in. Once everyone had settled in the Empress’s pavilion, the ceremony began. The soft light of the moon illuminated all the white coffins, separated from the ground by a wooden platform. They lay in the middle of the fire-proofed tiles, undisturbed. The Five Pillars already positioned themselves into a circle around the coffins. They each held a different colored ribbon that connected to the center. In their other hand, a small mason jar full of fire. Each held a fire that burned the color of their respective job classes. The Chief Knights and Captain Knight Dianne dressed in white robes that reached down to their feet. Eckhart did show up to the ritual on time with his ceremonial robes. He didn’t exchange a word with any of the Chief Knights. Neinheart wanted to rub at his eyes. But the Empress’s speech was about to begin.

Neinheart followed the Empress out as she entered the pavilion. The audience hushed with the appearance of the Empress. The Cygnus Knights transformed the throne into a speaking stage where the Empress would give her eulogies. The silence ripped into the night sky, only leaving the sound of their faint footsteps. She arrived on stage and Neinheart took his position behind her. He looked at the crowds of people on raised seats. It was…a lot. This was the second time they had to perform the ritual with so many people. He vaguely remembered the first time where the Chief Knights openly cried during the ceremony. Now, the Pillars stood as steady as their names, unmoving.

“Thank you all for being here today,” the Empress started, “it is with great sadness that we unite under these conditions, but we are not here today to mourn. We are here to honor those that have fought and fought again for a better future. Because with every fight, we draw closer to a world without fear. We all stand united under the powerful stars that watch over us. And now, those stars will guide our warriors home. Because as long as they shine, we will burn just as bright. Let the stars watch over us.”

The Empress bowed to the audience. She then pulled out a pendant full of dog tags and began listing those that have deceased in the battle. The dog tags got cleaned and would be returned to their families after the ceremony. Neinheart grabbed a fist full of his cloak, careful not to crinkle it. Steady breathing. Steady heart. Once his heart became a normal cadence, he continued to observe the speech. The Empress ended it after the names have been announced and signaled to the Pillars. Neinheart turned behind him and nodded toward the orchestra. They were hidden behind the podium columns. The conductor lifted her hands and the orchestra played a solemn tune. The Pillars opened their jars and the fire nearly leapt out of their hands. With precision, the Pillars activated their skills, concentrating it onto the fire. Soon the small fires turned into bright novas, nearly encasing their arms. Then the fires were transferred onto the ribbons. The ribbons caught easily on fire, leaving a brilliant trail of color behind. The multi-colored fires soon reached the wooden platform with the coffins. Once the fires all intersected each other, they twisted and combined into one white flame. It twirled around the coffins for a while before settling down. The fire ate through the wood slowly, nearly blinding the whole pavilion with its intensity.

Everyone listened in silence, heads bowed down to their fallen. Neinheart closed his eyes as well. This was a victory. Another step closer to saving Maple World. Everyone will be able to go on their lives without the threat of the Black Mage looming over them. Oz would go home, a beautiful place with no pain. Hawkeye would return to the seas, fighting the most ferocious monsters. Irena would wander around the world again, with no one to keep track of her. Eckhart would disappear from the world, the deal he struck with the Cygnus Knights finished. And Neinheart? He’d stay here on Ereve. He’d serve the Empress for as long as he lived. He had nothing else after all. He drifted his thoughts to the coffins instead. He thought about the dog tags and Mihile. He clenched his teeth and felt tears threaten to form in his eyes. Instead of forcing them down, he let go. This was goodbye. To the soldiers, the students, his friend. Neinheart let the white flames warm his mourning heart.

-

“Are we really doing this?” Hawkeye asked Neinheart. The Chief Knights gathered in front of Mihile’s hospital room. They dressed in civilian clothes as to not draw attention to themselves. They each had a parting gift to Mihile.

They all looked anxious. It was a much better look than what they had on the afternoon meeting last week. The Erevian Star ritual helped clear their minds and focus. It gave them clarity, reminding them of why they fight. It certainly helped Neinheart let the hurt forming inside of him bleed out into a healing scab. Instead of the haunted look in the Chief Knights eyes, they gradually brightened with vigor. Oz began to look up instead of down. Hawkeye talked more. Irena laughed like she truly meant it. The Empress was eager to jump back into her role as the main leaders of the Alliance. The students became more confident in their skills, even training outside of class hours. A fire grew inside them. It was small like the ones held in mason jars, but the Cygnus Knights rose from the ashes. A new heat emanated from Ereve. It would continue to grow, with their fellow peers watching over them. The Cygnus Knights would never forget those that have died, but they weren’t agonizing over their deaths either. They learned that the dead would never answer them back. They would have to honor their sacrifice with victory over the Black Mage. Neinheart looked toward Oz, Irena, and Hawkeye. Once again, there was something obviously missing. He didn’t comment on Eckhart’s glaring ways of avoiding the team. Eckhart stayed after the ceremony to console the family members before disappearing into the night. Neinheart grit his teeth. Eckhart excused himself when Irena asked about him going to Orbis. He said he was on a mission to find Gelimer’s whereabouts and had no time. Neinheart didn’t call him out on it. If Eckhart wanted to stay in this limbo, fine. He was being stubborn, like Mihile. Guess kindred souls did find each other.

“Yes, Chief Hawkeye,” Neinheart stated, “I want us to be able to move on without Mihile. And that means drawing from our inner strength and being able to say goodbye. He may be gone here, but he will be in our hearts. He would want us to, as well. We will discuss later about who will take up his position.”

It was a low blow, but it got everyone to straighten up a bit. Of course, Mihile was irreplaceable. To the Chief Knights at least. He was the first Chief Knight and held a personality that burned as bright as the sun. Neinheart knew it would be impossible to adjust without his reliable presence. But they would have to. To the world, he was another fallen soldier. It wasn’t ideal, but time wasn’t on their side either. They couldn’t wait for his soul to miraculously come back. Hawkeye grimaced, but didn’t complain otherwise. Neinheart entered the room first. Mihile’s sword and armor already lay on a chair beside his bed. He sent the Empress in before the Chief Knights for her personal goodbye. She didn’t cry as she brushed Mihile’s hair out of his face. She kissed his forehead, and then his armor before setting them down. The Empress didn’t turn back, exiting the room with purpose. Outside the door, a couple of Captain Knights followed her back into the lobby. They would guard her until they were finished. Now, the Chief Knights surrounded the bed.

No one spoke. They could only stare at the multiple wires around Mihile’s prone form. The complexion in his skin came back at least. Neinheart could tell what they were thinking. This is the first time they’ve seen Mihile since Black Heaven.

“Are you going to take Mihile off life support after we say goodbye?” Oz broke the silence. Neinheart looked at her. She stared down Mihile’s body like it would come to life any minute. He had considered it at first. He talked with the Empress and they concluded that was a rash decision. Chromile was still in there, and he didn’t know when he would wake up. He needed Chromile to wake up to find out what happened to Mihile. Of course, the Chief Knights have no idea that there’s another soul inside of Mihile’s body. They thought he was good as dead.

“No,” Neinheart replied smoothly, “we will continue to monitor Chief Mihile’s condition under the Empress’s orders. His soul will come around eventually. The Cygnus Knights are built on hope, after all.”

The idea contradicted everything Neinheart’s pessimistic self would believe in. But for them, he’d lie. The Chief Knights didn’t seem to catch on. They sighed in relief, tension gone from their shoulders. Neinheart raised his eyebrows. Hawkeye shrugged.

“I mean, full offense, but I really thought you were gonna pull the plug. When you said we had to say goodbye, it sounded like a final goodbye,” the Thunder Breaker explained. Neinheart might have been offended, but he has made harsher decisions before. He tried not to take it too personally. That’s exactly how he wanted to project to them; a cold-hearted tactician with only victory in mind.

Neinheart said instead, “a decision like that would require the entire Chief Knight council, as Chief Mihile did not leave a will.”

“Well, thank Rhinne you believe in democracy then,” Hawkeye snorted jokingly. Irena elbowed him. Oz covered her laugh as Irena rolled her eyes. That prompted Irena to approach the bedside table first. She put the bag she had down on the floor. She pulled out a jug of holy water, a bouquet full of various flowers, and a colorful vase. The stained vase went on the table and then the holy water. The water gave off a translucent glow once it entered the vase, reflecting a series of colored lights. Irena gripped the bouquet tightly in her hands. Oz grabbed her hand, soothing it out. They both looked at each other and smiled with remorse. Irena loosened her grip and took a deep breath.

“Hello, friend,” Irena started, “it’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

Mihile didn’t respond. His fogged oxygen mask was the only indicator that his body functioned. 

“It’s been a rough few weeks without you,” Irena continued, “but I’ve come to terms with it. Some Explorers even came to the Erevian Star ritual to thank you after the ceremony. You saved one of their guild mates, Valerie. A lot more would have died if you hadn’t told people to retreat.”

Irena laughed, “It’s funny, because you were the one that always charged into battle. Neinheart constantly yelled at you for that. I even remember thinking, ‘he’s going to leave me in the dust one day’-”

Irena’s voice shook, “-but you left me in a different way. It was bound to happen, right? We’re fighting powerful forces that have existed for centuries. Not even the Heroes could completely defeat them. So, it was guaranteed to that some of us wouldn’t make it. I just never expected it would be you. You were just so…indestructible…”

Neinheart turned to Irena buried into her bouquet, shaking. Oz and Hawkeye wrapped her in a hug, careful not to damage the flowers. Irena tucked her head into Hawkeye’s shoulder. He could hear a few sniffles. Finally, Irena peeled herself off the two and gave them both a clap on the shoulder. Her eyes turned red and puffy, but she smiled. She pulled out a red flower from the bouquet and set it down into the vase.

“Remember when the Empress asked us to get Perion fire flowers? And I got them faster than you? Well, the Empress enchanted this one, so this lasts longer. This was for nostalgias sake and hoping it’ll keep you warm through the winter.”

Irena took out a daisy next.

“This is self-explanatory. I can’t believe you still let me talk about flowers for five hours. We didn’t have much to do back then. Makes me miss those times.”

Irena continued this process of pulling out individual flowers and talking about her times with Mihile in excruciating detail. Neinheart almost zoned out just by standing there. Who let Irena go first again? Finally, Hawkeye groaned. 

“Oh my Rhinne, Irena. He’s not dead!”

Irena paused her speech and glared at Hawkeye. There were already flowers spilling out of the vase. Some even drooped onto Mihile’s bed. She still had a handful in her hands. Just how much was she going to say? This was too much. But the atmosphere changed. It felt almost light hearted, like Mihile just had a cold. Neinheart could hear Oz stifling a laugh. Irena placed one hand on her hip as Hawkeye leaned against the wall in exasperation. Somehow, Irena’s long speech normalized this entire situation.

“You’re right, he’s just on a very long vacation with no return date. But I want Mihile to know how much I truly appreciate him while he’s gone,” Irena huffed.

Oz finally burst out laughing, “I think he knows. Besides, if he wasn’t already in a coma, you would have put him in one!”

Irena gasped, pretending to be offended. She reached out to rustle Oz’s hair, who yelped and circled behind Neinheart. Hawkeye chanted as the two swiped at each other. Neinheart coughed. Loudly. The two stopped immediately. Oz nudged Irena, who sighed and placed most of the flowers in the overfilled vase. That left her with a couple of sunflowers. Instead of placing them in the vase, she laid them next to Mihile’s sword.

Irena stated, “This is ironic, because I feel like I’m always the one that turns toward you. But maybe it’s fitting. Because no matter what, I can always find you. So please, come back to us.”

Irena turned toward the bed and held Mihile’s hand. She stepped away and admired the work she did. Hawkeye and Oz eyed each other warily. Neinheart scoffed internally. They certainly weren’t going to beat Irena in the speech department. He was curious to what they were going to say after Irena broke the standard. Oz approached the bed next. She placed the wrapped gift next to the vase. It looked suspiciously like a book.

“I can’t tell you what’s inside Mr. Mihile, you’ve got to open it yourself,” Oz said and stepped back. Silence filled the room. Was that it? Neinheart didn’t know if he was glad or disappointed. He pointedly looked at Oz, who pouted.

“What? You wanted more? Sorry, I’m waiting until he wakes up! This is a bribe for him to come home faster,” Oz, just to be petty, stuck her tongue out. Irena rolled her eyes affectionately.

“Well, I think I can beat that then,” Hawkeye whistled. Oz laughed as Hawkeye brushed the top of her head. Hawkeye walked over toward the headboard. He placed his hand on Mihile’s arm. He squared his shoulders and opened his mouth. Then several things happened.

The heart monitor next to the bed screeched as the screen erupted with fast wave lengths. The Chief Knights and Neinheart all flinched at the high-pitched wail. Mihile’s still hand shot out toward Hawkeye’s arm. It ripped out several wires attached to it, which in turn knocked over the IV pole. Neinheart whirled around in time to avoid the toppling object. It clattered to the floor, breaking the IV bag. The plastic ripped open, contents spilling onto the floor. Oz stepped back and tripped. Irena caught her in time. Hawkeye let out a yelp. Mihile bolted up, more wires ripped off from sheer force. He didn’t seem to care that he was bleeding from the puncture wounds. He had a vice grip on Hawkeye’s arm, who stood frozen to the spot. Mihile choked on the air. The heart monitor continued to scream. For the longest time, nobody moved. Neinheart couldn’t even open his mouth. He was floored. Was this Mihile or Chromile? The recovery rate was too quick either way. He didn’t have anything planned for this yet. But he had to do something, before the Chief Knights did anything reckless.

Neinheart stepped forward. Mihile’s grip seemed to loosen enough for Hawkeye to pry it off. His breathing seemed even at least. The heart monitor’s rate went back to normal. Hawkeye staggered back, speechless as well. He then waved back and forth frantically between Neinheart and Mihile. His mouth kept opening and closing like a Bubble Fish. Neinheart shooed him away from the bed. With the Chief Knights behind him, he further examined Mihile. His head had bent down, mindlessly looking at his arms. When Neinheart didn’t say anything else, the Chief Knights burst.

“What-”

“How-”

“You’re-”

Neinheart put his hand up. He turned to see all them staring in confusion. They were going to have to trust him on this. They couldn’t over whelm Mihile just yet. Neinheart took his attention back to the man on the bed. The blood already dried from the puncture wounds of the needles. Huh. Neinheat stepped further into his space until his knees nearly bumped the bed. Mihile visibly tensed. He lifted his head up, eyes boring right into Neinheart. Neinheart froze. Mihile’s eyes were a dark brown. Not blue. Speckles of yellow flittered just outside the iris and faded out. He looked confused but guarded. Neinheart exhaled. The chances of it being Mihile were slim, but he had to know.

“Do you know-”

Neinheart didn’t get a chance. Mihile grabbed his collar and swung him into the heart monitor. He felt the sharp edge poke into his side. They both crashed onto the floor with a thud. The Chief Knights moved. Irena and Hawkeye went to grab Mihile’s arms down while Oz helped Neinheart back up.

“Hey, it’s us!” Irena exclaimed. Mihile struggled against their grasps in vain. Irena and Hawkeye struggled as well, trying not to hurt him.

“Chill, boss. You’re gonna hurt yourself. We got you,” Hawkeye said, a strange calmness in his usual boisterous voice. Mihile kneed Irena’s side. The two held on. Neinheart brushed the dust off his cloak. Oz put the heart monitor right up. She gawked at the spectacle of two Chief Knights wrangling their very volatile friend.

“I’m going to get the nurse-” Oz said.

“No.”

“But-”

“We cannot let anyone know about this yet. Go secure the door Chief Oz.”

Oz looked conflicted. Her eyes wandered between the bed and Neinheart.

“That’s an order,” Neinheart spit out. She glared at him but didn’t say anything else.  She moved toward the door. With how the heart monitor screeched to life, Neinheart wouldn’t be surprised if the nurses haven’t come by yet. Mihile growled. He managed to rip out of Hawkeye’s grip and sock his jaw. Hawkeye restrained Mihile’s arm with greater force this time.

“Who are you?” Mihile demanded. His body kept tense, but he knew by now struggling was futile and stopped.

“Oh great, did nearly dying give you amnesia too?” Hawkeye groaned. Irena pointedly glared at him.

“Okay, okay. Sorry. But seriously man, it’s us. Hawkeye the super cool one? Irena the buff workaholic? Wiz kid Oz? Grumpypants Neiny?” Hawkeye tried for a laugh and faltered mid-way when Mihile looked at him blankly. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

“I don’t know you,” Mihile said. Neinheart saw Hawkeye slump a bit and Irena tense. Mihile finally took the chance to take in his surroundings instead of fighting. He looked to Oz near the door and all the way across to where Irena had pinned his arm to the bed. Then his eyes went toward the sword and armor.

“No,” Mihile said quietly.

The mana-filled bulbs let out a screech, flooding the room in light. Neinheart shielded his eyes, using his cloak as cover. He heard a shatter. Through his eyelids, he watched the world dim. Then yelling. He peeked out from underneath his cloak to find a silhouette of a sword hovering in the air. The glass covering the bulb lights had scattered everywhere. Irena laid on the floor, holding a bleeding nose. Mihile had Hawkeye pinned to the bed, sword raised.

“Hawkeye!” Oz shouted from across the room. Outside the door, Neinheart could hear heavy footsteps. Those weren’t the nurses.

“Chief Oz, do not let anyone in. Not even our own Knights. We’ll take care of this,” Neinheart commanded. Oz pulled out her staff and nodded. Neinheart heard a few incantations as Oz set barriers around the room. They were going to need it if anyone else heard the chaos.

“Why am I here?” Mihile shouted, hovering over Hawkeye, “I should be dead!”

“N-not on our watch buddy,” Hawkeye coughed out. Neinheart spotted Mihile’s elbow jammed into Hawkeye’s throat at a dangerous angle. Before Neinheart could act, Irena pulled Mihile off of Hawkeye. Hawkeye gasped for air, clutching his neck. They both landed on the hard tile. She grabbed the sword and slid it through the glass pane. It landed at the wall closest to Oz. She then placed Mihile in a hold, wrapping her legs around his waist. She grabbed the crook of his elbows and pulled up. Mihile kicked at the air.

“Mihile, please! You’re alive, you’re safe. We’re your friends. Don’t fight us,” Irena nearly begged.

Mihile growled, “Who the hell is Mihile? You’ve mistaken me for someone else! You should have left me for dead.”

“What-” Irena loosened her grip. It was enough for Mihile to do a reversal on her. Irena slipped out though. She rolled up into a fighting stance. Mihile remained kneeled on the ground. For the longest time, nobody moved. The only sounds were the insistent pounding of the door and heavy breathing. The glass on the ground dripped red. Irena watched in confusion as Mihile finally stood up and pointed at the armor.

“You have my armor and sword,” he stated, “how could you not know who I am?”

Irena looked between the armor and him, “But that’s-”

“Mine. Who else did you expect?” Mihile insisted, “I don’t know how you revived me, but I don’t want to be here. I died for a reason.”

Irena stared at Mihile’s face, searching for something. Slowly, she stepped toward him. He backed himself into the metal backboard of the bed. Hawkeye remained on the bed, holding his neck. Oz watched from afar, her hands casting a soft pink on the hospital door. Neinheart could sense the gears turning in Irena’s head. His were turning as well.

Neinheart put the pieces together. The clarifying denial, the armor’s owner, the insistent need to be dead. Neinheart breathed deeply. The mirror was right. It was him after all. He had no idea why he hoped it would be Mihile or some demented version of him. He could have preferred that over the can of worms this man was going to open. Mihile never did tell any of the Chief Knights about his past. And now it was glaring at them with Mihile’s face. Irena looked like she figured it out as well by the way she covered her mouth. Irena was the only one in this room that knew the full extent of Mihile’s past: including who that armor originally belonged to. Neinheart had to say something before the man dropped a bomb nobody needed-

A loud shatter echoed in the room as Hawkeye smashed Irena’s vase into not Mihile’s head. He dropped on the floor. He didn’t get back up. Hawkeye heaved out. Neinheart caught a glimpse of the spots of purple on his neck. The room went eerily quiet. Neinheart could hear the muffled sounds of people pounding on the hospital door, but nothing compared to the ringing in his ears.

“So,” Irena said slowly, “that was his father.”

Oz stared in shock and Hawkeye looked in bewilderment. Neinheart stared at the unconscious body on the floor instead. He rubbed his temples. No point hiding it anymore. He couldn’t deny the obvious evidence, even if he wanted to. He’ll apologize on Mihile’s behalf if he isn’t dead already.

“Yes,” Neinheart confirmed, “that is Chromile, Mihile’s late father.”

For the longest time, nobody moved.

“Holy fuck,” Hawkeye croaked. 


	3. In Another Timeline, This Could Have Worked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the tag warnings start coming in, so be warned. This is also the chapter where things get better and then worse for the Chief Knights. Why can't they just get their friend back? I imagine Chromile as an on edge kind of person, considering how he died and what happened that led to his death. He'll warm up to the Knights....eventually.

Four candles lit the white room in their respective corners. One man sat alone in the middle, chained down to a wooden chair. Outside the room, four Chief Knights gathered with the Empress and Neinheart. They all peered inside the one-way glass panel. It stretched the entire wall, surrounding the metal door. The facility certainly didn’t match the Erevian aesthetics with its magic and sound proof steel walls. This was where they took the worst criminals, the cube of metal tucked away in the deepest woods of Ereve. Chromile remained still in his chair. He couldn’t see them, but Neinheart had a sneaking suspicion he knew they were there.

The group returned to Ereve as soon as Chromile woke up. The Cygnus Knights pounding on the hospital room door barged in to see Irena lift Chromile in a fireman carry back onto the bed. Neinheart paid for the damaged lights and equipment while the Chief Knights hauled his unconscious body onto an air ship. The nurses were more than happy to release the patient. The Captain Knights had questions the Chief Knights reluctantly dodged. Lying about Mihile’s condition was standard at this point.

Neinheart isn’t quite sure how to mitigate the damage Chromile’s presence would cause. As soon as the Chief Knights touched Erevian docks, students swarmed them asking questions about Mihile. Now the rumors of Mihile being awake spread like wild fire. In retaliation, he forced everyone to stay on Ereve by blockading the docks momentarily. No one can get in or out until they heard the message to keep Mihile’s condition quiet. The consequence would be that they’d be removed from their positions. Realistically, Neinheart knew there was no way he could convince the entire Cygnus Knights organization to keep quiet about this. The news would most likely blow up on Maple Book and they’ll be dealing with reporters for the next week. And that didn’t include the massive hope the Dawn Warriors had. They’re happy to have their teacher back. Even Captain Knight Dianne was more than ready to hand the teaching position back to Mihile. That was a problem he would need to discuss with both Chief and Captain Knights. For now, he’s handpicked only a few Captain Knights and Shinsoo’s followers to interact with Chromile. The information would be classified to Chief Knights and higher ranks only. Keep the circle about Mihile’s true condition as small as possible. 

Now the Chief Knights waited for orders. Two of them had bandages wrapped in various places. Irena got multiple cuts from the glass and Hawkeye held an ice pack to his bruised neck. Oz kept looking at the bruises in worry. Hawkeye waved off her distant worrying as Irena touched Oz’s shoulder consolingly. The three stood a clear distance away from Neinheart however. They were tense, practically driving daggers into Neinheart’s skull. He rubbed his temples. And this is where the house of cards fell.

“So,” Irena slowly said, “when were you going to tell us that Mihile’s father was alive?”

“And in his son’s body?” Oz pressed on, “could Mihile’s father even do that?”

Hawkeye waved his hand around in emphasis. He coughed with the motion and Oz rubbed his back. Neinheart breathed out. The Empress looked away in guilt and Eckhart remained passive.

“Never-,” Neinheart said, giving a side glance toward the Empress. She bit her lip. He changed tactics. He didn’t need the Chief Knights to be mad at the Empress too, since she agreed with him.

“-that is, if it were my decision. The Empress wanted to tell you as soon as we had solid proof Mihile’s father was occupying Mihile’s body. We don’t know how he got there in the first place. Even if I told you, there would have been no use. It was better than to get your hopes up over some strange anomaly. Mihile is gone.”

That too was a lie. They had all the evidence from Grendel’s mirror, but what’s one half-truth to a string of lies? The explanation didn’t seem to subside their anger. If anything, it made them more agitated. Irena crossed her arms. She looked…hurt. 

“Does that mean it wasn’t worthy enough to talk about? To us, his friends? I know you wanted us to move on but…”

“We could have helped. He’s our friend. I mean, ignoring that fact that he literally never told us anything about his past,” Oz finished. Hawkeye nodded enthusiastically. Eckhart looked at Oz. He seemed to agree.

Neinheart steeled himself. There was a moment of weakness where he wanted to tell them. He doubted any of them would be experts in the field of souls. However, being able to confide in close allies would have lifted an invisible burden off his shoulder. It was his fault that he didn’t watch Mihile closely enough to see soul switching as a possibility. He should have been more prepared for such a situation, as ridiculous it was. Otherwise Mihile’s soul might still be in his body and not wandering who knows where. Or gone forever. What was the last thing he said to Mihile before the fight? He didn’t remember. Neinheart didn’t say those thoughts out loud though. Instead, he channeled the self-frustration he felt for the last few weeks into a weapon. That was easier to do than admit he needed help. The open gates flooded the streets.

“No, you would be too emotionally invested to perform your duties as Chief Knights,” Neinheart let out, “the Cygnus Knights prioritize the mission. You’re responsible for your students. They are lost without your guidance. Do not neglect them over a futile cause. Or would you rather have them unprepared like they were during Black Heaven?”

Before he realized what had happened, it was too late. The words spilled out of him like oil, uncatchable. It didn’t mean to be a guilt trip. The self-frustration rolled into something too easy to hurt with. To take out on others. But the Chief Knights couldn’t see the bigger picture. They had to move on. There was no telling when the next attack would happen. The world counted on them. The damage was done though. The three looked at him in shock. Even Eckhart and the Empress turned to him. Although he regretted the words, he did not budge. He would keep his convictions until the end because he was right logically, in the end. He straightened his back. It was a reality check. It was delusional to think everyone could be saved. Something laughed in the back of his mind and burned his tongue. Neinheart coldly stared down everyone, daring someone to oppose him. No one did. The Empress looked down. Neinheart sighed. Move on.

“Now, Chief Eckhart will interrogate Chromile and see what he remembers. Then maybe we’ll get answers to where our runaway Chief Knight has gone. Chief Oz will be backup. Everyone else is dismissed,” Neinheart stated. The others took a while to process the information before nodding. But before anyone went anywhere, a voice spoke up.

“Chief Oz should interrogate him instead,” Eckhart said, nearly scaring everyone. He hadn’t said anything up to now.

“M-me?” Oz squeaked. She looked apprehensively toward the door. Neinheart turned toward Eckhart. He usually doesn’t object to Neinheart’s orders. This must be important.

“Chromile won’t do intimidation. We need someone who he will let his guard down,” Eckhart explained. The others looked at Oz. At first, she’s not imposing. She’s short with a fragile looking frame. However, everyone knew better than to underestimate her. There’s a reason she rose up to Chief Knight at such a fast rate. Still, Oz didn’t look convinced herself.

“Well, if it will help us get answers,” Oz tried to smile, but failed. Neinheart couldn’t blame her for her hesitance. She witnessed Chromile stand his own ground against Irena and Hawkeye combined. And that was when he just got out of a coma too. There’s no telling how powerful he was compared to Mihile now. Still, Eckhart made a point. Oz would need to interrogate Chromile.

“I’ll be behind you,” Eckhart said to Oz. She blinked before beaming up at him. That was supposed to be reassuring, Neinheart could only fathom.

“Alright then,” Neinheart nodded, “Chief Oz is in charge of this interrogation. Chief Hawkeye and Irena, please escort the Empress and begin your morning classes. I will have Captain Knights cover Chief Oz and Chief Eckhart’s sessions for today.”

The Chief Knights saluted. Oz had handed her staff over to Irena. Irena patted her shoulder in return. She had to look as harmless as possible. Oz was the most capable of using her skills without her weapon. If Chromile tried anything, Eckhart would intervene while Oz stalled.

“Be careful, Oz,” Irena cautioned.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be back before you know it!” Oz said to Hawkeye and Irena. They looked toward the glass panel and back at her. A pause later, they hugged her and exited to the outside with the Empress. Neinheart took out a mobile device from his pocket and sent out a message to Oz and Eckhart’s Captain Knights. They should be able to get to Ereve within the time that morning classes started. He attached a few outlines they should follow as well. He put the device away and turned to the remaining Chief Knights.

Oz took a deep breath and flexed her fingers. A small flame ignited in her palm and extinguished as quickly as it had appeared. Neinheart nodded toward her and she saluted. Eckhart activated Dark Sight, letting the shadows cloak him. Neinheart spotted the tip of Eckhart’s cloak disappear just before the door was opened. The steel door closed as soon as Oz and a shadow walked though. It closed. Neinheart pulled the cuffs on his wrist to reveal a golden watch. He pressed a button on the side and moved the watch toward him.

“Unmute the channel, Kira, but do not record the conversation,” Neinheart spoke. Nothing happened. But then a crackle resounded in the watch.

“Yes sir. Channels on. Ready to listen in,” Shinsoo’s follower replied. Neinheart turned to the interrogation room. The four candles in the room brightened slightly and dimmed back. It was miniscule enough that nobody paying attention to them would notice the flicker. A few seconds later, the hidden speakers gave a low thump. Neinheart could now hear what was being said on the other side. Neinheart made sure no one would interrupt and had additional guards stationed outside of it. On the other side of the glass panel, Oz walked toward Chromile. She looked unsteady. He didn’t blame her. Interrogations weren’t her field of expertise. However, that probably wasn’t what was making her jittery. Neinheart suspected interrogating someone with the face of a close friend would be strange. He felt the same dissonance the more he looked at the man whose soul was replaced by his father. There was Mihile’s face, but the expressions were all wrong. Oz continued to walk until she stopped at a safe distance from Chromile.

"Hello Mihi-,” Oz coughed, “-uh, sir. I’m Oz, a Chief Knight of the Cygnus Knights-”

Chromile snorted. He turned his head up to her, a strange smile on his face. Oz paused and blinked.

“Uh, sir? Are you feeling okay?” Oz asked tentatively, but Chromile ignored her. Instead, he looked past her and directly into the one-way window. He raised his eyebrow. Neinheart felt a cold rush through him. Did Chromile see him? But how? Before Neinheart could wrap his head around the thought, Chromile laughed.

“Your organization is so obvious! Sending in a little girl to let my guard down?” Chromile smirked, “Pathetic.”

Several sword silhouettes appeared in the air. Oz, wide eyed, stepped back. The interrogation room was flooded in a yellow hue. Neinheart cursed. He would later question how Chromile could activate his skills without a weapon. Only the Chief Knights could do that within the Cygnus Knights, and it was usually a small spark at most. Oz was the only one that could deal lethal damage without her staff. Neinheart fiddled with the button on his watch. He would wait. Eckhart was in there as well. Oz put herself in a fighting position.

The swords began to point down. But instead of aiming them at Oz, the points lingered in a spot in the corner. Neinheart spotted flicker of a shadow within the candle’s flame. Oh no. The swords fell. Oz teleported out of the vicinity as the beams of light struck the corner. Not a few seconds later, Eckhart reappeared with a torn cloak. He clicked his tongue.

Chromile scoffed, “An assassin? How typical.”

Neinheart scrambled for the device on his wrist. What the hell was Chromile? He saw through the window and Dark Sight! He probably knew what an interrogation room was and suspected someone was on the other side. However, Dark Sight was virtually impossible to locate unless Chromile had heat vision. That didn’t matter. Neinheart gave Chromile a chance, but he clearly underestimated the power Mihile’s father had. He was too dangerous at this rate. He was besting his Chief Knights when he just woke up. What would his powers be like when he was in full health?

“Kira, activate the cuffs!” Neinheart barked into the watch. He watched as Oz and her summoned familiar surrounded the chair. Soon, he spotted the cuffs on Chromile glow a bright blue and fade away. Chromile furrowed his eyebrows. His eyes widened a second later. Neinheart smirked. At least the mana-reducing cuffs worked on him. When no more swords of light came out, Eckhart ran toward the center of the room. He kicked the chair over. It launched Chromile toward the ground before Eckhart caught the chair’s back. Chromile lay suspended, nearly touching the hard floor. Eckhart glared at him. He pulled out a dagger.

“What do you remember?” Eckhart growled, pressing the dagger toward Chromile’s neck. Chromile glared back, lips pulled in a thin line.

“Eckhart!” Oz yelled out, “Stop! His mana’s been disabled already.”

Eckhart looked back toward Oz, contemplating. Oz had deactivated her familiar and walked toward Eckhart. Neinheart continued to watch. He should had turned on the cuffs earlier. He was too lenient on the man that had his friend’s face. He can berate himself for that later. Right now, there’s an interrogation to watch over.

Chromile didn’t shy away from the dagger. Instead, he placed his neck closer to it. The dagger bit into his skin, but didn’t penetrate it. Eckhart didn’t pull away. Neither did Chromile. They held their stares down at each other.

“Eckhart, stop, please!” Oz grabbed Eckhart’s cloak, pleading. 

“Threats like that won’t work,” Chromile stated blandly, “I’ve seen worse.”

This time, Chromile leaned hard enough into the dagger for it to nick his neck. Eckhart jerked the dagger away. Oz covered her mouth. Even Neinheart froze at the action.

Neinheart helped Mihile uncover his past, but never about what really happened with his father. That remained a mystery that Neinheart was more than happy to ignore. There was a high suspicion that Chromile made himself disappear. Permanently. That’s a thought for later.

None of the other Chief Knights except Irena knew the full rambled path that was Mihile’s past. They respected Mihile’s decision to remain quiet about it thought. Now it was going to bite them. Hard. Neinheart rubbed his temples. If he didn’t interrupt now, the interrogation was going to go way ward. He pulled the watch toward his mouth.

“Chief Eckhart, Chief Oz, step away from Chromile,” Neinheart ordered. The message registered. Eckhart put the chair back down as Oz edged away from the center. He suspected Chromile already knew his presence, so might as well go in. Neinheart opened the door. Neinheart ran a few scenarios through his mind and picked the one that required the least amount of lying. Ones that his Chief Knights would easily grasp at least. As he passed Eckhart and Oz, he snapped his fingers. They looked at him, at the ready. Full attention on his back. Good. As Neinheart walked, he placed one hand behind his back. It was slow enough that Chromile didn’t notice. Neinheart made a fist and used his index finger and thumb to point toward the ground. A pause. Then he made a fist again, this time only using his thumb to press into his back.

_‘Quiet. I’m in charge.’_

Oz clicked her tongue. Eckhart tapped his foot.

_‘Understood.’_

Now that Oz and Eckhart got the message, Neinheart cleared his mind. Focus only on the objective. He continued directly toward Chromile, who hadn’t said a word. Blood dribbled down his neck, creating a large red spot on the white shirt.

“So, you’re the great mastermind behind this? A really poor attempt, I’ll say,” Chromile mocked Neinheart. He scowled but quickly cooled his features. He needed Chromile to be on their side, no matter if he liked him personally or not.

“Chromile, the Knight of Light,” Neinheart stated. Chromile’s eyes widened by a fraction. 

“So, you do know who I am,” Chromile said.

Neinheart nodded and continued, “I’m not here to discuss our poor execution of ethics though. You’re here because we need you.”

“Way to treat someone that you need like a prisoner,” Chromile grumbled, but let the words sink in slowly. Chromile was less tense than before. Still guarded though. Neinheart felt Oz and Eckhart look at each other. Neinheart could practically see the confusion in the air. They have their instructions though. He will explain his plan later. But for now, he’s going to see if Chromile buys it.

Neinheart pushed on, “Again, we humbly apologize for that. However, it was the only way you would listen. This is the future, where we are so desperate for allies we resort to bringing back long-lost heroes. Times have changed, and we need you to help us win a war.”

“Another war?” Chromile asked, “How long have I been gone?”

“Too long.”

“But how-”

“- Enough talking,” Neinheart interrupted him, “we have much to discuss after we treat your wound. So please try not to lash out anymore unless you want answers.”

The threat hung in the air. Chromile and Neinheart stared at each other. Chromile frowned, but his body seemed to relax. Neinheart could see the gears turning in his head. He could exist on an earth he left behind with or without answers. The choice is up to him. But if he and Mihile are truly related, Neinheart suspects Chromile will continue to keep chasing this thin thread of lies. Neinheart’s jaw tightened. He won’t make the same mistake he made when Mihile stumbled upon those documents years ago. This time, he will make sure the truth drowns.

-

The afternoon and evening classes on Ereve passed without fuss. Dinner rolled around as the sun set into a blue canopy. Neinheart ignored the very open stares the Chief Knights gave him across the banquet table. He also ignored the fact that Eckhart was missing from dinner. Again. The chances of him coming to their improv meeting were slim.

Neinheart and Chromile came to an agreement. Chromile would assist the Cygnus Knights if Neinheart answered all his questions and gave him access to Victoria Island: granted he had an escort always. After treating Chromile’s wound, they sent him into a cell where a couple of Shinsoo’s followers would monitor him closely. Irena’s Captain Knight was there as well in case Chromile did decide to break out. The Empress sternly expressed making Chromile feel at home, given the circumstances. Neinheart reluctantly agreed to remove the mana-blocking hand cuffs. At least that way, Chromile could feed himself. They would meet in the morning. but for now, Neinheart needed a Mihile-proof plan. One that would ensure Chromile would never find the truth by accident.

After the dishes and tables were cleared out, Neinheart and the Chief Knights returned to the Empress’s main quarters. Captain Knight Dianne joined them as well. Her long blonde hair swished in the air as she talked to Oz with a tight lip. This would be her first official meeting with the Chief Knights. Neinheart couldn’t blame her for being nervous. But he knew what she was capable of. She would make an excellent Chief Knight of Light.

The Empress’s quarters were hidden away from the main paths of Ereve, surrounded by a waterfall and dense forest. Like the interrogation room, the quarters looked nothing like its white marble neighbors. It was a simple two story wooden structure similar to a cabin. This was where the Chief Knights, Neinheart, and Empress lived. Well, some. Hawkeye opened the double screened glass door, giving a dramatic bow as he let people shuffle in. His purple bruise healed into a dark yellow on his skin. They all settled at the red table with the Empress at the head. Neinheart was the only one standing. He cleared his throat. The Knights and Empress settled in their seats, attention on him.

“First of all, I’d like to welcome Captain Knight Dianne on board,” Neinheart said, “she will be filling in Chief Mihile’s position. She will be Chief Knight until further notice.”

“Yea girl, you go!” Hawkeye’s raspy voice cheered and choked immediately. Irena slapped him on the back until his fit stopped.

“Should you be talking? You still sound hoarse,” Oz asked, peering at his neck. The bruises were nearly gone now thanks to Kiriwing’s medicine, but it didn’t fix all the internal damage. Therefore, Hawkeye sounded like a broken record.

“I know you guys miss my lovely voice, so I’m trying to get it back in working condition as soon as possible,” Hawkeye grinned. Neinheart almost rolled his eyes, but wanted to keep his professionalism around their new Chief Knight. Instead he drove daggers into Hawkeye’s skull until he got the message to shut up for the rest of the night. Dianne’s face flushed from his compliment, but turned to the group and bowed her head instead.

“I will do my best to honor this position, Neinheart,” Dianne said solemnly.

Neinheart nodded, “Now the situation at hand. As everyone here is very aware of, Mihile’s late father is residing in Mihile’s body. So far, there is no clear explanation of how that came to be-”

The Chief Knights raised their eyebrows.

Neinheart emphasized, “-honestly. I really have no reliable information concerning this situation. However, Grendel is conducting research for us. For now, the identity of Mihile’s host must not be known. The identity will only bring mass confusion and gossip we do not have time to deal with right now. We may have defeated Black Heaven, but that’s just the tip of the Black Mage’s influence. There are more powerful enemies ahead. For that, we need someone powerful on our side. If we can’t find out what happened to Mihile from Chromile, he will stand in as our resident Knight of Light.”

The Chief Knight nodded solemnly, somewhat satisfied with his answer. Dianne looked between them and him, confused. The Empress’s lip twitched. For Rhinne’s sake, they’re still mad that he omitted the truth from them the first…two times. At this point, there’s nothing important information to lie about now. The cat’s out of the bag, the cat being Chromile and the bag apparently the other world where he was supposed to have died. Though there were a few things Neinheart would take to his grave.

Neinheart continued, “As far as the Cygnus Knights know, Mihile is confirmed to have amnesia. If Chromile is willing to play his part, we will continue to act in this way. However, do not let anyone outside the Chief Knight circle interact with Chromile for a prolonged period. They’ll catch on if Chromile or us slip up. When he recovers, we’ll begin our investigations starting in Sleepywood. That’s where he was recorded headed to last.”

“What do we tell Chromile then? Pretend to be his son that has amnesia?” Oz raised her hand and spoke despite Neinheart not calling on her. It was habit at this point.

“No, absolutely not,” Neinheart said, “The most important part is that nobody tells him about the body he’s residing in. If this plan is to succeed, everyone must stick to their roles.”

“Why not?”

“Because if I know anything about Chromile, is that he values his family over his own life. He doesn’t know what his son’s been doing in the past two decades. If he wants his child to be safe, he will obey us.”

The table was silent. Shit. Neinheart said too much. They know about who Mihile’s father is and what happened to him, but not the specifics or time frame. He saw Eckhart shift in the corner of his eye. Oh, now he’s interested in the conversation. Guess the anonymity of Mihile’s past was too much of a secret to ignore: even objectively. This entire situation was going to be solved by retracing Mihile’s entire past. Urgh. It was harder to keep Mihile’s promise at this rate. Neinheart will cross that bridge when they get there.

“That’s kind of fuc-,” Hawkeye started, but then him and the table jolted. The Empress and Dianne looked in his direction. Irena turned away from Hawkeye in a fluid motion.

“-kind of fricking messed up Neiny,” Hawkeye wheezed out. He made a face at Irena, who decided to ignore him.

Neinheart admitted blankly, “I do what’s best for my knights, and I extend that invitation to Chromile as well. I think omitting that he’s residing in his son’s body after he tried to martyr himself is not something a father would like to hear.”

The Chief Knights and Empress nodded their heads. Trying to keep the situation simple even when it wasn’t.

“Wait, Neiny. How does Chromile not know his own son’s name? We definitely shouted it, like, several times in the hospital,” Hawkeye questioned. All eyes turned to Neinheart. He thought about it. Mihile’s old name was one that they all agreed to bury before the Cygnus Knights officially formed. It was harmful to Mihile. Brought up too many bad memories. The Chief Knights didn’t need that information either. Completely unnecessary to the task at hand. It’s all in the past. Focus on the present and future. Though Mihile’s past is also residing in a cell deep within Ereve’s forest.

Neinheart internally sighed. Like Mihile, he’ll be just as vague. This was a secret the objective didn’t overrule. He’ll protect it.

“The Empress gave Mihile his name before we knew the one given by his father. At that point, Mihile had accepted the name the Empress had given him. There was no point going back to his old name,” Neinheart explained.

“Whoah, that’s the coolest thing,” Hawkeye beamed at the Empress, “you gave him a really awesome name!”

The Empress smiled with a tight lip. Hawkeye didn’t seem to notice.

“So, what was his old name, if we’re allowed to ask?” Oz said. Hawkeye perked up at that, turning his chair around. He nodded enthusiastically. Even Eckhart lifted his head up at that.  Irena chewed the bottom of her lip. The Empress shifted nervously. That question was also to be expected.

Mihile was…defensive about his past. Not that Neinheart blamed him. He too had a few things the Chief Knights didn’t need to know about him. However, whenever any of the Chief Knights brought it up, he would answer vaguely. Then he would be on edge for the rest of the day. The Chief Knights learned not to ask anymore. Irena is the only Chief Knight Mihile has openly shared his past to. Even now, Irena remained silent.

“Ask him when we get his soul back,” Neinheart dodged the question, “now’s not the time to be focusing on that. Everyone must agree to play up Mihile’s ‘amnesia’. When Chromile asks why the Cygnus Knights are calling him Mihile, tell him that is what our students called the body he’s residing in. He will know by now that he wasn’t revived in his own body. I will send more specific instructions in the morning meeting. For now, this is the plan I expect everyone to follow. No deviations. Understood?”

“Yes sir!” the Chief Knights said.

“Any last words before the morning meeting Empress?” Neinheart asked. The Empress pondered for a second. She shook her head.

“Meeting adjourned then. Tonight’s watch cycle is posted on the refrigerator. Please read that before heading off to bed,” Neinheart concluded. The Chief Knights saluted him and the Empress. As everyone scattered to the fridge, Dianne walked over to Neinheart. He took a quick scan of her. Her shoulders tensed up, bottom lip red from biting it too hard.

“Yes, Chief Dianne?” Neinheart asked. Dianne’s mouth twitched into a frown.

“Neinheart,” Dianne said, “would it be alright if we talk in private? If you have no other priorities, of course.”

Neinheart ran through a mental checklist. Other than documentations and creating a script for the Chief Knights, there was no immediate emergencies to address. Dianne was new to this and probably has many questions. They have trained her, but clearly not enough the way she looked visibly stressed. He’ll put her as number one priority.

Neinheart shook his head. “We can talk in my office.”

Dianne nodded stiffly. They walked back out into the night as the voices died down behind them.

-

“I think I’m mad,” Hawkeye thought out loud. His voice still sounded garbled, even after taking the suspicious medicine from Kiriwing. He sipped from a beer can, ignoring the disappointed look from Irena. Hawkeye, Irena, and Oz had sprawled out on the living room couch, not paying attention to the news on the television. Irena had her head pillowed in Oz’s lap while her legs spread over Hawkeye’s. Eckhart was the first on watch. However, nobody felt like sleeping tonight. There were too many unanswered questions nobody could get a straight answer from. Too much agitated energy thrummed through the air.

“Tell that to Neinheart. You can even tell him drinking beer is for lubricant,” Irena said and kicked Hawkeye’s shoulder affectionately. The force still nearly made him spill the beer. Oz laughed at that.

“Haha,” Hawkeye mocked, “but the point still stands. I’m pretty mad. At like-”

Hawkeye waved his arm in the air. Oz and Irena nodded in unison, understanding.

“Yea. I mean,” Irena twirled her hair, “Neinheart’s just trying to do what’s best for us.”

Oz frowned, “Even if it means hiding everything about Mihile from us.”

“Yea, what was all that stupid secrecy stuff about anyways?” Hawkeye whined, “I mean, I don’t know what edgy childhood Mihile has, but it can’t be that bad. I won’t judge. Unless he was a nutty murder child or something like that.”

Hawkeye paused, “You know what, not even then-” 

Oz clapped her mouth over Hawkeye’s mouth.

Irena rubbed at her eyes. “No. It’s nothing like that.”

Hawkeye blinked. As soon as Irena realized what she said, she paused. She didn’t think that one through. Crap.

“I mean I think so at least,” Irena corrected herself, “either way, Neinheart is right. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. You move forward as the person you are today, not who you were. People should respect that.”

Hawkeye seemed to accept the explanation, but pouted nonetheless. The three sat in silence for a while, watching some mundane news on the television. Hawkeye’s phone went off to signal his turn on watch duty. He crinkled the beer can in his hand and tossed it into the garbage can. With a small wave to Irena and Oz, he walked out of the door. Oz stretched her arms.

“Well, six hours of sleep should be fine,” Oz said, “You should get some sleep too.”

Irena nodded, “I will in a little bit. I’m going to work out before patrol.”

“You and your warm ups,” Oz shook her head affectionately. Oz prodded Irena to get off her. Irena sat up as Oz slipped off the couch. She walked toward the stairs, but not before turning back to Irena.

“Um, Irena,” Oz started, “I know you’ve known Mihile longer than any of us. I trust you. And I trust Mihile.”

There was a pause.

“But can we trust Chromile?”

Irena opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. She bit the bottom of her lip. She…didn’t know. Actually. Oz seemed to understand though, because she waved her goodnight and ascended the stairs without getting an answer. Irena sat still on the couch, looking toward the stairs.

There was a time where Irena would have told Oz anything. That was long ago. They moved on. But Oz’s question ignited something within her. An urge to help her friends understand without revealing too much. To find answers that could turn this situation around. And she knew where to find them.

-

Neinheart watched Dianne walk out of his office before closing the door. A few seconds passed. When he was sure Dianne was far gone, he slammed his desk. A few quills and papers fell to the ground. He would pick them up later. Right now, his throat felt congested. The conversation he had with Dianne kept running through his head like an old record.

_“I’m sorry Neinheart, I can’t take Mihile’s position as Chief Knight.”_

_“Why not? You’ve been trained under him the longest. You carry yourself with all the qualities of a model Cygnus Knight. I’ve seen you train recruits. You have the experience necessary to earn this title. You are ready to take this position.”_

_“That’s not why I’m taking this.”_

_“I refuse to replace Mihile. He’s still out there, and I refuse to give up on that. I’ll continue to teach the Dawn Warriors. But I’m not doing it as a Chief Knight. That’s Mihile’s title.”_

What a frustrating situation. Neinheart tried everything. Bargaining, reasoning, nothing got through Dianne’s stubborn logic. This is what happens when sentimentality gets in the way. A title is a title, yet Dianne still honors it as if Mihile solely owned that position. Neinheart had hoped putting Dianne in the Chief Knight role to make the sense of change smoother. Having so many uncontrolled changes caused a huge disruption within the ranks. A controlled one that everyone could grasp would have raised their morale. Everyone respected Dianne. She would do her job well. They would easily move on from Mihile and begin to heal. And yet here Neinheart was, staring at his desk.

A picture had slipped out one of the papers. It landed smack in the center of the desk. If Neinheart had a sense of humor, he would have laughed. The picture was given to him by Irena and he didn’t find the time to throw it away. He regretted that he didn’t throw it away soon enough.

The old photograph had the first two Chief Knights, him, and the Empress together. They hovered around the throne with the Empress sitting on it. Irena had her arms wrapped around him. Neinheart had his arms crossed, a smile betraying his pose. And Mihile…

To say the least, he looked a lot different. Long blond hair was swept into a braid that hung over Mihile’s shoulder, touching his belt. Oversized steel armor did a poor job of hiding the scrawny body underneath. He carried a familiar sword nearly the size of him. Despite his scraggly appearance, he smiled confidently at the camera. Something pulled at Neinheart’s chest. They all looked happy, back then.

What happened?

…

He caused this.

He sacrificed these relationships to save the future.

Because if this all failed, it wouldn’t hurt to lose them.

Was it worth it?

Neinheart didn’t realize his hands were shaking until the desk squeaked in protest under the pressure. The picture had shifted to the edge of the desk, teetering. He idly watched the photograph tilt over in slow seconds. He let it fall.

-

Irena walked through the valley of trees, following the dirt path with confidence. The winds gently nudged her toward the metallic box that Chromile currently resided in. Neinheart never said anything about not interacting with Chromile before the morning. The thick walls the trees made soon thinned out into a small clearing, giving her a peek of the prison. She stopped just short of the clearing. Irena spotted two Cygnus Knights guarding the steel entrance. She peered up through the dark green canopy and into the bright shine of the moon. It was clear enough that the stars shone through the air pollution. She breathed, letting the chill sensation of the wind cool her senses. They eased her muscles, tickling her with their comforting brushes of air. The tree branches billowed in the direction of the entrance. Go, the wind beckoned her.

Irena exhaled. This is the right decision. The wind never guided her wrong before. If they can’t know the truth, the most she can do is tell them the truth won’t hurt them. Straightening her shoulders, she stepped out into the moonlight. The Cygnus Knights immediately caught sight of her and saluted. She saluted back.

“Chief Irena, what brings you here? I thought the interrogation was tomorrow,” one of the Knights commented.

Irena smiled, “Well, think of this as a pre-talk. Maybe he’ll warm up if it’s there’s only one person instead of a squadron.”

The other Knight frowned, “with all due respect Chief Irena, Neinheart requested that no one enter until morning.”

“Not even a Chief Knight?” Irena raised her eyebrow. The two guards looked at each other, unsure. She patted their shoulders firmly.

“I appreciate that you are taking your jobs very seriously,” Irena started, “but you won’t get in trouble if Neinheart finds out you let me in. I’ll make sure of that. If anything, he’ll be mad at me for coercing you with my position of power.”

“If he finds out,” the guard snorted and the other laughed at that.

“Exactly!” Irena clapped their shoulders, “just remember, if he finds out, you can blame it all on me. He likes me enough.”

The Cygnus Knights nodded their heads and let her through. As soon as the doors closed behind her, she walked past the interrogation room and into a corridor full of prison cells. There were no steel bars, but a large bull-proof glass separated the hallway from the rooms. Skylights were in each cell, circulating the air while providing natural light into the space. While it was a prison cell, the Cygnus Knights valued hospitality. Even toward those that may not deserve it. She looked for any signs of blond hair. Though, she supposes she’d be looking for the only occupant in here. A few cells later and Irena found Chromile lying on his bed, back turned to the glass.

Irena paused. She didn’t consider that he might be sleeping. Chromile didn’t seem like the type of person to let his guard down so easily. But then again, he must be drained from all the resistance he put against them. She was about to leave when a breeze brushed her leg. She whipped her head around just in time to witness Chromile slam his fist against the glass right in front of her face. Irena yelped at the sudden movement, sound reverberating through the corridor. She forced herself to stand her ground and not clutch her heart. Instead, she stared directly into those all-too familiar blue eyes.

“What do you want?” Chromile growled. Irena placed her hands near her head, unmoving. The jump scare shook her a bit, but she refused to let that deter her. She was on a mission. No dead man walking was going to get in her way of that. He seemed to ease up on that gesture, letting his hands slide back down to his sides. She squinted closer at him. Contrary to her initial belief, Chromile did not look like he slept at all. His eyes were blood-shot, dark circles only emphasizing them. She tried not to bite her lip, a memory of Mihile resurfacing.

“To talk,” Irena said.

“Just. Talk.”

Irena nodded. Chromile scrutinized her, and she let him. A minute passed. Finally, he sighed and went to sit on the bed.

“Talk then,” Chromile yielded. Irena dropped her hands. She unclenched her jaw and straightened it out.

“I guess we can start with our names. I’m Irena, Chief Knight of Wind for the Cygnus Knights,” Irena started.

Chromile scoffed, “Chromile. Knight of Light.”

At least Chromile was humoring her. That’s a start.

“So,” Irena offered, “there’s a lot that’s happened when you were gone. What would you like to know first?”

Chromile frowned, suspicious. Irena placed her hands back up in the air.

“I meant it when I said we would talk. You deserve to know what’s been going on when you’ve been gone. It’s the least we can do. Though I won’t be able to tell you everything until tomorrow,” Irena placated. Chromile crossed his arms, contemplating. He sighed once more. His rolled his shoulders and leaned against the wall.

“Who are the Cygnus Knights?” Chromile asked.

“We are an organization under the rule of the Empress that is dedicated to fighting the Black Mage and the organizations that support him.”

“Wait, the Black Mage is alive?!”

Irena nodded solemnly, “He was dormant until a couple of weeks ago. We fought against the Black Mage’s group and managed to dissolve it, but not without major consequences. The last Seal Stone broke and the Black Mage has been freed.”

“So, you Cygnus Knights failed and then revived me to fight the mistake you made.”

“We…we got desperate,” Irena’s throat tightened. It was far from the truth, but they had to make do if they wanted any kind of leverage on Chromile. Chromile meanwhile took in the information, crossing his legs.

“How did you revive me?” He asked

“I don’t know. I wasn’t there when you were revived, but Neinheart can provide you that information tomorrow morning.”

“How long have I been gone?”

“I don’t know that either.”

“Then what do you know?”

The question struck something inside Irena. What did she know? She knew who Mihile was, is, and his past. But did she know anything about Chromile himself? From what she heard from Mihile, Chromile didn’t try and fight the darkness inside of him. He let it consume him, letting his body rot in Sleepywood. But there was a reason he was called the Knight of Light. Something light must be still inside him. She took a deep breath.

“I may not know a lot of things that’s caused all of this,” Irena said, “but I do know that we can count on you.”

“How? You don’t know what I’ve done,” Chromile rose from his bed. He stalked over to the glass pane. With Mihile’s height, Chromile wasn’t as intimidating. But Irena took a step back away from the glass pane nonetheless. Chromile slammed his fist on the glass. Irena saw the glass deflect in small trembles. Irena stood her ground.

“I let my wife die. I abandoned my child. I’ve killed people!” Chromile hissed, “you know nothing about me!”

Irena didn’t realize she had her fists clenched tight against her skirt until she looked down. She pried them off her clothes to have them sweep through her hair. She frowned.

 “Chromile-”

“Don’t you dare pity me.”

Irena bit her lip. The wind stilled. The two stood facing each other, unmoving. She couldn’t help but stare right into those blue eyes. It hurt, but she could pretend Mihile was right with her, comforting her from a distance. Chromile spoke up once again.

“I know you only came here because of this body you revived me in. Someone else was in this body before me, wasn’t there?”

Irena tried not to flinch. She wasn’t surprised he would figure that out so quickly. Mihile and Chromile might be related by blood, but their physical features probably weren’t similar. The surprising part was how he read right though her. Chromile was right though. She wasn’t even thinking about how he felt about this whole situation. They were even treating him like a prisoner!

Irena just wanted answers. That was entirely selfish of her. Of them. They didn’t think about Chromile as a person. He was an obstacle to get to Mihile. Coming here with that mindset was a mistake. Yet, she felt a slight pressure on her shoulder. The wind beckoned her forward. That’s right. She never backed down from a challenge before. She wasn’t about to now. The winds of change are never too late. She knows Mihile is in there along with Chromile. It’s a matter of timing and when the universe decides when he needs to come back. She has faith in that.

 “Yes, there was,” Irena admitted, “but this isn’t about them anymore. It’s about you. You’re here now. Which means we have to learn how to work together.”

For Maple World.


End file.
